
Chicago CFO Community
Executive Summit
November 14, 2023 | Convene at 333 North Green
November 14, 2023
Convene at 333 North Green
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Chicago's top CFOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CFOs today:
Developing Adaptable Business Strategies Amid Persistent Inflation
Strategies To Attract and Retain Talent While Protecting Margins
Using Actionable Data to Forecast and Drive Organizational Growth
Chicago CFO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CFOs, For CFOs®.
What to Expect
Agenda
7:45am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Transforming Talent Strategy in the Age of Digital Acceleration

Dennis Gannon
Vice President, Analyst
Gartner
As the capabilities of digital technology in finance ramp up, CFOs worry their current talent strategy is insufficient to capitalize on the opportunity. More than 70% of CFOs feel their existing competency and L&D models don’t address the specific needs created by new technology. Finance leaders must craft a transformation strategy to reflect the changing profile of a finance team member and the demands they face.
In this keynote presentation you will gain a deeper understanding of:
- What new competencies are required by the rise of digital technology in finance
- How digital acceleration presents risks and opportunities for finance operating models
- How the advancement of digital technology changes finance business partnership roles
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
Company Culture as a Strategic Strength

Lori Sherwood
CFO
Parts Town

Chelsea Fitzpatrick
Group VP, People & Culture
Parts Town
In the past decade, Parts Town Unlimited acquired dozens of organizations and maintained a compound annual growth rate over 20% per year. Balancing employee wants with evolving business needs has been the key to success during tremendous growth. Join this session with CFO Lori Sherwood and Group VP, People & Culture Chelsea Fitzpatrick to learn how top finance leaders can draft winning strategies to increase team energy and boost organizational efficiency.
This session will explore:
- Measuring company culture and staff engagement
- Using a holistic and long-term approach to talent
- Maintaining a strong culture through major organizational transitions
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Modern and Flexible FP&A Strategies

Jacco Kuipers
CFO
Ball Horticultural Company
The pressure is on for financial leaders to move away from traditional financial planning, budgeting and forecasting to a modern system that will improve enterprise agility. CFOs today must implement an effective, sustainable and efficient process to manage growing FP&A complexities.
Join this session to learn how your peers:
- Approach budgeting during times of uncertainty and volatility
- Improve forecast accuracy and process efficiency
- Make well-informed resourcing decisions to achieve strategic goals
Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to CFOs and CAOs).
10:25am - 11:00am Networking Break
10:30am - 10:55am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:00am - 11:45am Breakout Session
Pulse Check — Benchmark Your Talent Strategy

Tyler Steel
Executive Vice President & CFO
Brookfield Properties Retail Group

Wes Tomaszek
VP, Executive Partner - CFO Executive
Gartner
The evolving landscape of talent management is projected to require greater time and attention from CFOs and CAOs in the forthcoming years. The shift in expectations underscores the necessity for enhancing approaches to both attracting and retaining talent in a dynamic job market.
Join this interactive session to benchmark your strategy on:
- Meeting the needs for five generations of workers
- Aligning organizational priorities with employee demands
- Optimizing your current EVP to attract and retain top talent
11:00am - 11:45am Executive Boardroom
Reimagining Technology to Enhance Efficiencies and Increase ROI
Hosted by Rimini Street

Michael Perica
CFO
Rimini Street

Glenda Oakley
CFO
Easterseals
In a cost-constrained environment marred by periods of economic uncertainty, organizations must quickly navigate the constant turbulence. Modern CFOs play a critical role in investment decisions that ignite innovation while driving sustainable growth and minimizing cost.
Join this session to discuss how to:
- Make finance the core of digital transformation
- Evolve IT systems into innovation engines that boost agility
- Transform your organization to optimize and unify resources across lines of business
Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to CFOs and CAOs).
11:45am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Chicago CFO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Convene at 333 North GreenParking and Public Transportation
Parking and Public Transportation can be found here.
Community Program Managers
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contacts.